Officers with tasers sent to incident
A number of police officers from Lanarkshire Division, like all Policing Divisions across Scotland, have undertaken training relating to the roll out of Conductive Energy Devices, commonly referred to as tasers.
The effects of these devices being deployed are that short pulses of electricity pass into the body of the person and the electricity causes muscles to contract.
Since June 2018, officers on patrol have been equipped with these devices, which they have in addition to their ordinary officer safety equipment.
The decision to provide officers with this equipment was primarily as a consequence of the increase in the number of incidents in which police officers have been confronted by people with bladed weapons and an increase in assaults on officers.
Additionally, incidents involving the potential for someone injuring another or themselves, can also consider the attendance of a specially trained officer as a tactic to enhance safety and protection for the people involved and of course the wider community.
As a local supervisor I have the opportunity to check incidents daily and to hear specially-trained officers being dispatched to incidents. I have found that on the majority of occasions, officers are not required to actually deploy their devices but their mere presence often de-escalates tensions or provides a sufficient indication of action that police would be able to undertake immediately, to make a person desist from their aggressive or violent conduct and cooperate with the police.
Having these trained officers working locally also provides a level of re-assurance for other officers who know that officers in possession of these devices can be with them relatively quickly. Area control room staff also play their part in identifying suitable incidents and ensuring specially trained officers are dispatched quickly, where they are needed.
On speaking to specially-trained officers, they have reported to me that the public have generally reacted positively to seeing them in possession of their devices and understand why there is a need for them. There will of course be a rolling evaluation of their use and senior management within the Police Service of Scotland will continue to report back to local communities about the findings.
Officers in possession of tasers were dispatched to an incident which occurred on Auchinraith Terrace, Blantyre, around 11pm on Friday, August 17, where a male was allegedly approached and assaulted by five persons. There was also information about a person being in possession of a knife.
Information was also provided that a purple Volkswagen vehicle was in the area at the time of the incident. Officers were not required to deploy their tasers.
If you witnessed this incident please get in touch with the police. If you have any information relating to the above or that you feel should be reported to police then call 101.